Vitis Vi...what?

Vitis vinifera, is the European grape species of which, there are thousands of different varieties. We just touched on this about our latest podcast which goes into detail about what the difference between vitis vinifera and what we know as American Hybrids. So check it out on Apple Podcast or Google Podcast!

Anyways --- vitis vinifera include the varietals that most have you have heard of - Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc...etc. American hybrids you may or may not have heard of depending on where you live and if you have visited local vineyards and wineries around the US. These include varietals such as Chambourcin, Tramminette, Vedal Blanc, Sevyal Blanc. They may sound similar to varietals you've heard of, but with a twist because they are mixed with an American species. These species are called vitis labrusca, vitis ripiara, or vitis aestivalis.

Vitis labrusca, vitis ripiara, and vitis aestivalis are all grape species native to America - but, they typically don't make grapes that create great wine. Concord, Catawba, or Norton grapes are usually more associated with jelly than wine. However, these grapes grew in America and historically (just ask Thomas Jefferson) vitis vinifera...well, did not.

Why, you ask? There's a slew of different kinds of mildews and diseases that exist in America that don't in Europe --- the most important and the most devastating one being, phylloxera. These little pests killed not only vines grown in America, but once trading was more robust between Europe and American in the 1860s, phylloxera made its way to Bordeaux and wiped it out. Totally devastating!

Grape Leaf with Phylloxera

At this point, scientists and vineyard owners had to come up with something and so, they decided to merge the vitis vinifera that could not survive in America with the native american grapes and voila, hybrids!

As science evolved, Americans still wanted to create great wines from vitis vinifera and so, they decided to graft American root stock with vitis vinifera grape species. This is what we have thus far planted on the Tobacco Coast property.

As the vines on our property grow, they will be Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc ---however, if we let bottom shoots grow out below where the two species were grafted, we would have a whole different variety of grape growing!

Stay tuned for more from Tobacco Coast! And be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @tobaccocoast ! #marylandwine #vineyard #tobaccocoast